The bit awards
2019 winners

As the Executive Director of the IGDA and IGDA Foundation, Jen MacLean works to build a more inclusive game development community and support game developers around the world in achieving sustainable, fulfilling careers. ‍ Jen began her career as a playtester at Microprose Software, working on legendary games including Civilization, Civilization 2, and Civ Net, as well as Master of Orion, Darklands, Colonization, and Master of Magic. She moved to AOL as online games began to take off, leading Product Management for Air Warrior, Legends of Kesmai, NTN Trivia, and many other popular titles. Following AOL, Jen led sports, entertainment, and games for Comcast's online services, establishing Comcast's core and casual gaming offerings and partnerships with major publishers and developers including EA and Xbox.

Don Bellenger is a lifelong creative who works out of Oakland, CA, where he lives with his wife and daughter. He is the lead developer of Black Future '88, coming soon to multiple platforms. A staple of the Bay Area community, Don leads both through the example of his work and his commitment to helping inspire and connect his fellow game developers.

Caroline Murphy is a game designer, producer, and community organizer that lives and works in the Greater Boston Area. She received her MBA from Babson in 2011, and has passionately focused on building games and game communities. She is co-founder and CEO of BostonFIG, a non-profit organization that dedicates itself to cultivating the next generation of game creators. BostonFIG's annual flagship event, BostonFIG Fest, now in its 8th year, draws an audience of nearly 5000 attendees. Caroline also acts as Chief Creative Officer of Incantrix Productions, a game company that specializes in interactive theater events. She teaches in the graduate games science program at Northeastern University, co-manages the Boston Indies community group, is on the Board of Directors for Be Epic, and sits on the game review committees for AIAS and Intercon.

Sam Eng is a Unity3D developer and long-time Playcrafting instructor. In 2018, Sam released the acclaimed hit game Zarvot on the Nintendo Switch. He is also the lead developer on AVARIAvs (avariavs.com), a lightning fast turn-based RPG due for release in 2019. Sam's commitment to his own craft as well as nurturing the talent of those around him makes him a community leader in New York and for developers the world over.